Coleman Elite Montana 8 Review
The Coleman Elite Montana 8-person tent review will be looking at the pros and cons of one of the most popular family tents on the market. “Elite” is the upgraded version of the standard Coleman Montana. This Elite version comes with upgraded features and a change of colour to blue.
The tent has a dome construction, WeatherTec System, and enough space for eight people. As such, this results in a great tent for family camping. Without further ado, let’s get this Coleman Elite Montana review under away.
Specification
- Size: 8-Person
- Rating: 3-season
- Weight: 29 lb
- Center height: 6 ft. 2 in
- Base Size: 16 x 7 ft
- Packed size: 13 x 33 x 8 inches
Who is the Elite Montana for?
We would say the Elite Montana is perfect for medium-sized families or groups of friends who want a reliable tent for 3-season use. Eight people CAN fit in this tent, but it will be a bit of a squeeze. It will be far more comfortable with 5-6 people.
Pros
- Color-coded poles
- Waterproof
- Provides great value
- Spacious enough for 8 people
- Innovative hinge door for easy access
- E-port for electrical power
- Rain-fly provides shade
Cons
- Hard to keep the door open in hot weather
- Two doors would be better than one
Size
The tent has a total floor area of 16 ft. x 7 ft. (4.87 m x 2 m), which allows for eight sleeping bags to squeeze inside. With that said, it would be a lot more comfortable for 5-6 people. Tents do often tend to overstate how much room they have.
You should also think about spare floor space – if you use three queen-size airbeds (maximum capacity) then you’ll leave little floor space for luggage and other accessories.
This tent is suitable for parents with 2-4 children. Parents can sleep on a queen air mattress, while the kids can sleep on smaller mats or twin air mattresses.
Fabric + WeatherTec
The Coleman Elite tent is built using fibreglass poles to form a dome construction. Around the poles you will find a polyester fabric that incorporates the patented WeatherTec System:
- Wind-resistant – As part of the WeatherTec System, the Montana has a wind-responsive frame that won’t break in high winds. The structure can be made even stronger by using the guy-out lines & triangles.
- Water-resistant – As well as waterproof polyester fabric, the tent has inverted seams that prevent water from leaking inside. This tent’s floor is water-resistant too! It is made from Polyethylene that is welded to the tent walls to create a tub design. For further protection, you could use a durable tarp underneath the tent.
Pro tip: Some people experience problems with rain. Now, this isn’t the most waterproof tent, but it should handle moderate rain with no problem. On the side, there is a chance that rain could sneak underneath the fly. As such, make sure it is pitched properly away from the tent body. For further confidence, consider waterproofing your tent, or check out our list of tips on how to prepare for camping in bad weather.
Hinge door
As well as the WeatherTec System, the Montana has an innovative hinge door that makes the tent feel more like a house, rather than a tent. To create the door hinge, users will need to instead the poles into the door sleeves, which creates a sturdy hinged door. With that said, we would prefer if the tent had two doors instead of one. Check out other hinged door tents here.
LED lighting system
This is one of the upgraded features of the original Montana tent. Now you don’t have to struggle with typing your own light to the roof and trying to get the perfect angle. The LED lighting system gives 100 lumens of light making it easy to see and creating a comfortable living environment that minimizes the use of torches. Make sure all notches of the lamp are lined up to secure the fit.
Ventilation
There’s not much worse than waking up to a tent that is stuffy hard to breathe. After all, you went camping to enjoy the perks of nature. Fortunately, the Coleman Montana 8 tent features a number of ventilation features. In fact, the tent comes with cooling vents and a mesh roof that keeps a constant flow of air through your tent.
Pitching
This is not an instant tent, but it doesn’t take long to erect (5-10 minutes). We recommend reading the instruction manual before setting up the tent for the first time. Users will also appreciate the pole/clip design that is made easier thanks to the colour coding.
Portable
The Colman Elite Montana 8 tent weighs 25 lb, which is far from the lightest tent on the market. It is not supposed to be a survival tent though, so this is to be expected.
Storage
If there are 8 of you camping, there won’t be much space for you to store your gear. The blame is largely with the LED system, as this takes the space of a gear loft. The space created by the extended door awning gives a space for you to store a few bags. There are also two mesh pockets at either end of the tent for small accessories, like your phone.
Verdict
We hope this Coleman Montana 8 review has helped you to gain a better perspective of this tent. To sum up, we think this is one of the best family tents on the market. Although it has a capacity of 8 people, it would be better suited for 5-6 people. Here are our top 8-person tents.
It contains many features that make this more than just your usual tent. For example, the hinged door gives a luxurious feel that allows for easy access. The door is great, but my favourite feature is the LED light system which has high, low and nightlight modes.
You’ll be protected from the weather thanks to the Coleman WeatherTec system that features welded flooring and inverted seams for rain protection. But even in the rain you will still receive great ventilation thanks to the precisely-angled windows.
FAQ
Does the Montana Elite tent come with stakes?
Yes, although they aren’t the best.
Does it give good ventilation?
The two large windows provide enough ventilation in summer. They can be closed when the temperature drops at night.
Does this tent have multiple rooms?
This is a large one-room tent.
What is the difference between this Montana Elite and the Montana Tent?
- Elite has built-in LED system
- Elite has auto-roll windows
- Elite is blue/white instead of green
- Elite poles are color-code